Hot New Bands / #7 / Shark Dentist

It’s been a little while since I’ve been to the Dentist. I used to go every 6 months thanks to Mummy’s persistence and hated it, though nowadays I have a kink for people sticking Latex gloves in my unwilling mouth. So it’s swings and roundabouts. Anyway, Shark Dentist are an emerging act from North London and this is their second single called ‘Florentine (Make Me Smile)’ and it’s pretty darn good. It’s certainly good enough to put a smile on your face.

Shark Dentist formed after a bunch of guys grew up loving the sounds of Dinosaur Jr., Pavement and Teenage Fanclub got together to produce a sound that definitely pays tribute to all of those bands. ‘Florentine (Make Me Smile)’ blends sketchy, grungy guitar riffs together alongside wandering basslines and lead licks that meander through the haze to produce something that’s equal parts grunge but also rather groovy too. The vocals sprawl their way on top of the basslines to give off a familiar J Mascis-esque performance which then find themselves leading the way for a chorus that explodes in a thunderous display of guitar and noise. It’s a track that packs a punch and leaves you bewildered and yet satisfied – much like how I feel most of the time.

‘Florentine (Make Me Smile)’ is a great track complete with interesting guitar riffs that come layered upon one another, altogether making up an onion of a grungy throwback to the genre’s heyday, while also keeping things modern with their youthful enthusiasm which bursts through the airwaves just as much as the explosive chorus. Awesome.

What did you think of this track? Did you love it, did you hate it, did you want something else to talk about? Let me know in the comments below, or via the Exploding Head Syndrome on Facebook and Twitter.